Bill To Curb Governor's Pandemic Powers Falls Short

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

State lawmakers failed to reach a compromise by a key legislative deadline Saturday on legislation aimed at curbing the governor’s emergency powers during a pandemic, effectively killing the bill in the final days of the regular session.

House Bill 3, a priority of House Speaker Dade Phelan, would have carved out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters and given the Legislature more oversight of the governor’s emergency powers during health emergencies.

(Full story here.)
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Bill Banning Gov't Closure Of Churches Heads To Gov. Abbott's Desk

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A bill banning governments from shutting down churches and houses of worship  any reason heads to the governor’s desk for signature after it passed its final vote on Friday, 113 to 30.

Filed by Rep. Scott Sanford, R-McKinney, HB 1239 prohibits governments from ordering the closure of houses of worship in Texas.

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Dealership Law Means Austin-Built Teslas Must First Be Shipped Out-of-State For Texas Buyers

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Tesla is on the verge of having to jump through the most ridiculous loopholes because of an arcane law: having to ship its Austin-built Cybertrucks out of the state before it can sell (and ship) them back to Lone Star buyers.

Under Texas franchise laws, which are similar to those in most other states, automakers like Toyota and General Motors cannot sell you a car. They must sell their cars to independently owned third-party businesses that in turn sell them to Texans—you know, new-car dealerships. 

As it stands, Tesla’s company-owned outlets cannot legally sell a car in Texas, nor can the company “deliver” a car within the state even if bought by a Texan. 

And the state legislature did not pass a bill to fix the problem, as widely expected. The legislative session ends this week, and they do not meet again until 2023

(Full story here.)
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Bill To Cap Insulin Prices Headed To Gov. Abbott's Desk

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A bill that caps out-of-pocket insulin prices in Texas is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.

Nearly 2.8 million Texans have diabetes. Over the past decade, insulin prices have more than tripled. Out-of-pocket prices range from hundreds to thousands of dollars a month.

On Monday, the Texas House passed SB 827, which will limit co-pays to $25 for each insulin prescription per month for insured Texans on state-regulated health plans.

(Full story here.)
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Statehouse Staffer Lied About Lobbyist Rape, Say Investigators

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The news landed at the Texas Capitol last month like a bombshell: State police were investigating claims that a male lobbyist from one of the most influential firms in Austin had used a date rape drug on two female legislative staffers.

Now, a DPS investigation has concluded that a legislative staffer fabricated the story of the date rape drug to cover up embarrassing personal behavior. 

(Full story here
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House Bill 624 Passes State Senate, Increases Penalties For Harassing Cops, Families

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Texas Senate has passed House Bill 624, known as the 'Doxing Bill', which increases the legal penalties for personally targeting a Police Officer. Protections are extended to cover an officer's family.

House Bill 624 would increase the legal penalty for those who harass, intimidate, threaten, stalk, damage property, or trespass on property belonging to a public servant or their family. Specifically, with intent to intimidate or harass a public servant or family of a public servant due to one's official position as a public servant.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Hugh D. Shine (R - Temple) said on Facebook:

"No Officer, or their family, should be personally targeted because of their public service."

We look forward to Governor Abbott signing House Bill 624 into law.

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Constitutional Carry Bill Heads To Gov. Abbott's Desk

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A measure long sought by conservative activists allowing Texans to carry handguns without a license is on the cusp of becoming law after the Texas Senate on Monday approved a compromise on the bill, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott.

Abbott has said he would sign the bill into law.

"We should have 'constitutional carry' in Texas," Abbott told North Texas radio host Rick Roberts in April.

The bill stiffens prison time for convicted felons who are caught with a gun with a minimum five years in prison.

Sen. Charles Schwertner (R - Georgetown) hailed it's passage on Facebook on Monday:

"The Texas Senate just passed the Conference Committee report on House Bill 1927. This bill is a strong Constitutional Carry bill that will restore the right of law-abiding Texans to carry a handgun without a license for the defense of themselves and their loved ones. Now on to the Governor’s desk!"

Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R - Lakeway) called it, "a historic day for Texas and the Constitution."

(Full story here.)
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Race-Based "Critical Race Theory" Banned From Classrooms Under New Law

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The Texas Senate passed a bill early Saturday morning that would ban schools from requiring teachers to discuss polarizing Race-Based "Critical Race Theory" and other racially divisive topics in classrooms. It now heads to the governor’s desk.

Critical Race Theory views all of American history through the lens of race, and usually convicts those of white ancestry of crimes against those of black or brown ancestry. Many view the theory as unnecessarily racially centered, politically leftist in focus, and divisive.

The Texas House passed the bill (HB 3979) on May 11, but will have to approve it again in a conference committee, due to changes made by the Senate.

State Sen. Bryan Hughes tweeted:

"We must teach the truth about our history, & judge others based on the content of character & not the color of skin."

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George P. Bush: 2020 Election Was Not Stolen

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Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush (R) said he would support former President Trump in a 2024 presidential run, but pushed back on the former president's claims that the election was stolen.

Bush is considering a run for attorney general, challenging Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has announced he is seeking re-election.

(Full story here)
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#Texas Senate Approves Statewide Outside Camping Ban

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The Texas Senate approved legislation Thursday that would create a statewide camping ban after adding a change, directed at the city of Austin, to prohibit the city council's plan to use public parks to provide temporary shelter for the homeless.

Voters in Austin recently voted overwhelmingly to reinstate a ban on public camping by the homeless. Homeless encampments under interstate underpasses became commonplace when the city council reversed the ban.

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Heartbeat Bill Signed By Gov. Abbott, Bans Abortions After Heartbeat Detected

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Wednesday signed the Heartbeat Bill, which would ban virtually all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, joining other states that have set up legal challenges to the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

The measure Abbott signed would allow most private citizens to sue an abortion provider if they suspect the provider has violated the new ban.

Supporters say the bill recognizes scientific advances in detecting the origins of life in the womb since the landmark 1973 Court decision.

The heartbeat bill was one of the Republican Party of Texas' eight legislative priorities for the current session of the state legislature.

(Full story here)
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Gov. Abbott Orders End To Mask Mandates In Schools, Public Facilities

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Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday issued an executive order prohibiting mask mandates by government entities.

Abbott tweeted: 

"Starting May 21, local govts attempting to impose mask mandates can be fined up to $1K. We're also prohibiting public schools from mandating masks after June 4. Texans, not gov’t, should decide their best health practices."

conservative Republicans have been extremely critical of Abbott for imposing a mask mandate at all, although he lifted it on March 2, 2021. However, many local governments and school districts have continue to require masks. This prompted the governor's latest executive order.

Abbott cited the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, the legislature charged the governor with the responsibility “for meeting … the dangers to the state and people presented by disasters” under Section 418.011 of the Texas Government Code, and expressly granted the governor broad authority to fulfill that responsibility.

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Leander City Runoff Gets "Ugly"

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Two runoff races for Leander City council have taken an ugly turn, with personalities clashing and accusations flying.

Local media reports that Leander City Council runoff candidate Mike Sanders was rebuked as "very unethical" by Texas Republican Party Chairman Lt. Col. Allen West in a March 12 email. 

The email was in response to Sanders sending West a secret recording he had made of Council member Annette Sponseller, who had run against him in the three-way May 1 municipal election. He is in a June 5 runoff with another candidate after both defeated Sponseller.

Fellow council runoff candidate Donnie Mahan, who is seeking a different seat than Sanders, recently posted a video urging residents to not vote for Sanders, because of his conduct during the campaign, even though he is a fellow Republican.

Members of the Williamson County Republican Leaders Organization declined to endorse either Sanders or Mahan at their Monday meeting, despite both candidates facing Democrats in the June 5th runoff.

In a Tuesday post on Facebook, Sanders decried the ugliness of the campaign, specifically alluding to Mahan's video.

"The ugly side of politics has been out on open display in Leander during this election.

Those who have set out to attack my credibility in this election have caused great harm to the Republican Party in Williamson County with their deceit and gossip.  They have unwittingly caused harm to their own reputations while seeking to dirty the name of an honorable man.  Perhaps the party will learn from this experience that it is not wise to call just anyone a "Republican."

Someone who has campaigned for numerous conservative Republican candidates through the years should not be counted the same as someone who has never campaigned for any Republican in their entire life.  "By their fruits you shall know them."

(Full story here)
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Bill Banning Wholesale Electricity Price Hikes Goes To Gov. Abbott's Desk

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House Bill 16 would not allow residential or small-business electricity customers in Texas to sign up for electricity plans where wholesale prices for power are passed to customers. 

It is headed to Gov. Abbott's desk for his signature after it was approved by the Texas House this past week.

Those plans include the kind that caused February power bills to skyrocket for several customers of Griddy Energy and other companies. Some customers reported bills over $15,000.

(Full story here)
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Former Mayoral Candidate Charged With Felony Voter Fraud

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A former Carrollton Democrat mayoral candidate, Zul Mirza Mohamed, was indicted last week and formally charged on 109 felony charges related to voter fraud.

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office last October arrested and charged Zul Mirza Mohamed on 25 counts of unlawful possession of a ballot/ballot envelope without request of the voter and 84 counts of fraudulent use of a mail ballot application. The charges are second- and third-degree felonies, according to Texas election laws.

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New Mexico Republicans Meet In Amarillo

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The New Mexico Republican Party, facing some of the tightest Covid-19 restrictions in the country by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham, which prevent large meetings, fled to Amarillo this weekend for a three-day conference dubbed "Operation Freedom."

The conference featured guest speakers South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. New Mexico's lone GOP congresswoman, Yvette Harrell, also spoke.

The more than 350 attendees, which included some Texans as observers, were warmly welcomed by Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson and local north Texas Congressman Ronnie Jackson.

Attendees heard from panels on education, religious freedom, and candidate recruitment. Their currently are no statewide elected Republicans in New Mexico, and both the state senate and state house of representatives are controlled by Democrats.

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Border Mayor Pushes Back On "Border Under Control" Narrative

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The Democratic mayor of Del Rio, Texas says he believes the U.S. southern border is "wide open" for illegal immigrants, despite insistence from the Biden administration claiming the opposite.

During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Bruno Lozano reacted to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ comment, reiterating that the "border is closed."

Lozano said that he had reached out to the administration for help regarding the influx of migrants, but was told repeatedly that the border is "under control."

Pointing to statistics indicating that there was a 393% increase in border crossings in the 2021 fiscal year, Lozano said he could not understand the administration's assertion.

Del Rio is a border town with a population of 41,000 people and sits 150 miles west of San Antonio.

(Full story here.)
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#Texas House Approves Police Body Cam Bill

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In one of its final votes before a midnight deadline, the Texas House on Thursday gave preliminary approval to "Bo's Law," a measure that would require police officers to keep on their body cameras through the course of an investigation.

Dozens of bills on the House calendar missed the deadline, effectively killing them, although they could still be tacked on to other measures that have passed. The Senate has until May 26 to pass its own bills and send them to the lower chamber.

(Full story here)
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Gov. Abbott Says Biden Has "Abandoned Rule Of Law" On Southern Border

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Pres. Biden has abandoned the rule of law at the U.S.-Mexico border amid the migrant crisis, sending costs for border security soaring in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said.

Abbott told "Sunday Morning Futures" anchor Maria Bartiromo of Fox News that the "root cause" of the record number of migrants entering the U.S. is because of the "lack of border security."

(Full story here)
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